Outsourced Support for your Tender Responses
PQQs (Pre-Qualification Questionnaires) and SQs (Selection Questionnaires): These are typically the first hurdle in public sector procurement. They assess a company's suitability to deliver a contract based on factors such as financial stability, experience, and compliance. Our expertise in this area has led to numerous successes, such as helping a vehicle hire company secure contracts with multiple councils. Our team's diverse background allows us to craft compelling responses that highlight our clients' strengths across various sectors. The SQ is being replaced by Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) as part of the Procurement Act for public sector opportunities.
ITTs (Invitations to Tender): ITTs are formal requests for detailed bids, usually following the PQQ/SQ stage in public sector procurement. They require comprehensive responses to specific requirements. Our approach to ITTs has led to remarkable results, such as helping a client score 100/100 across the board on quality for a framework bid submission.
RFPs (Requests for Proposals):
While more commonly associated with private sector tenders, RFPs are also used in some public sector procurements. They typically allow for more flexibility in proposed solutions. Our experience with RFPs covers a wide range of industries, and we've helped clients in the procurement sector win major new clients and high-value contracts through our strategic approach to RFP responses.
Thornton & Lowe's Approach
We offer a consistent outsourced bid management team that becomes an extension of your own. We focus on quality tender or ITT or RFP responses. This approach has been particularly successful in sectors like construction, facilities management, IT, healthcare and professional services. Our team gets to know your business intimately, allowing us to work efficiently and truly become your bid team, working hand in hand with your subject matter experts.
Our team's diverse background is one of our key strengths. As detailed on our team page, we have experts with extensive experience across various sectors:
- Our founder, Dave Thornton, has a background in EU procurement and has been driving innovation in bid support services since 2009.
- Our Operations Director, Tom Daniel, brings valuable experience from the IT sector.
- Charles Grosstephan, our Director of Development, has a background in commercial, manufacturing, professional services, aerospace, and construction, as well as considerable public sector experience.
- Steven Higginbottom, our Head of Housing Consultancy, has 25 years of experience as a leader in housing association grounds maintenance services.
This diverse expertise allows us to understand the nuances of different industries and tailor our approach accordingly.
Case Studies and Testimonials: Our case studies demonstrate our ability to deliver results across a wide range of sectors. For instance, we've helped clients in the professional services sector increase their tender success rate significantly, securing work with housing associations, universities, and NHS Trusts.
In the construction sector, we've assisted companies in securing contracts through our dedicated and professional approach. Our expertise in social housing has led to successes like helping a client score the highest of any tenderer for quality across five lots in a housing association tender.
Our work in the facilities management sector has been equally impressive. We've helped clients dramatically improve their performance in public sector tendering, making the process more efficient and effective.
Whether you're dealing with PQQs, ITTs, or RFPs, in the public or private sector, Thornton & Lowe has the expertise, experience, and track record to help you succeed. Our diverse team, sector-specific knowledge, and proven approach to bid management make us the ideal partner for businesses looking to enhance their tender success rate and secure valuable contracts across a wide range of industries.
